Kolkata, March 14 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday paid tributes to the 14 protesters who were killed in firing during the anti-land acquisition movement at Nandigram in Purba Medinipur district on this day in 2007.
In her message, Banerjee remembered the victims, saying that the soil of Nandigram was soaked with blood 19 years ago.
"These immortal martyrs will always remain immortal. Victory to Nandigram," she said, recalling the sacrifices made by the protesters.
Fourteen people were killed, and over a hundred others were seriously injured in the incident, which remains one of the bloodiest episodes in the state's political history.
She said March 14 is observed as 'Farmers' Day' every year in memory of the martyrs of the agrarian land movement in Nandigram.
She described farmers as the "pride of the state" and the "providers of food".
Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA from Nandigram, Suvendu Adhikari, paid floral tributes at the martyrs' memorials at Gokulnagar Adhikari Para and Sonachura in Nandigram to honour those who lost their lives in the movement to protect agricultural land.
Paying homage, Adhikari said the sacrifices of the martyrs would never be forgotten and described March 14, 2007, as a "cursed day" in the political history of the state.
"The sacrifice of the martyrs will never be forgotten. The struggle against subjugation and forcible land acquisition in Nandigram remains in our memory," he said, offering respects to those who died in the movement and chanting slogans in their memory.
Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also paid tribute to the 'martyrs of Nandigram' and shared an image of him offering a floral tribute to the deceased at a memorial in the city.
Highlighting state initiatives for the farming community, Banerjee said the government's Krishak Bandhu (New) scheme provides financial assistance of Rs 10,000 annually to farmers, sharecroppers and cultivators.